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by Lolle



Category: One Piece
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, but gonna get established one day, it's gonna be light and nothing angsty i think, it's more of a one shots series than a multi chapter fics so, not beta read we die like mne, or who knows, they are awkward dorks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-02-03
Packaged: 2018-09-21 18:20:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9561251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolle/pseuds/Lolle
Summary: Marco wasn't ready to face Ace while he was without his shirt.With Sabo teasing, it gets embarrassing before it gets better.





	

Marco doesn't know what he had done wrong in his previous life but he must have been responsible for something horrible because Ace stands in front of him only in a towel, smiling. 

“Sabo, we have food, right?” Ace asks, unbothered by his almost nude state. Marco blinks, his eyes following Ace. His gaze meets with Sabo’s and he flushes realizing he had been staring at Ace. Sabo shots him an amused smile as if he knows what Marco is thinking about but he doesn’t look angry.

Marco has only met with Sabo a few times; he came to get Ace from his place when it was raining and Marco couldn’t give him a ride because he had work to do, or that time, when they had to get Sabo from the hospital, because he’d broken his arm in a fight. Sabo never really mentioned who did it or where it happened but Ace looked like he was going to fight Sabo himself, when Sabo haven't given a honest answer. Marco had his own suspicions;illegal street fights for money, or bad company, but he'd never asked about it. 

He shakes his head, concentrating on the conversation but jumps a little when he sees Ace only a few feets away from him. 

He has lot of freckles. Everywhere. Marco opens a mouth, thinking of something smart to say. Freckles on his shoulder, on his chest, freckles everywhere. He fully blames the freckles when his brain fails him.

“How many freckles do yo have?” 

Total mortification. Marco didn’t think he will have to ever face this feeling, but here he is. Because of freckles. 

Ace doesn’t see anything wrong with the question because he only shrugs, before answers, “I have more on my body.”

“Yeah, I can see that, yoi,” Marco says and finally looks at Ace. He hears Sabo choking on the water he has been drinking, but Marco can’t take his eyes off Ace. 

Ace’s eyes widens as he slowly looks over himself. 

“Oh,” the faint voice leaves Ace’s mouth, as his cheeks flares red. Sabo doesn't even try holding back his laughing and Marco can’t say anything to make it less embarrassing. 

“They are cute,” Marco mumbles, forgetting where he is. With whom. 

This gets just more embarrassing, _good job, Marco, on staying cool and collected. You failed._

Marco is horrified, his eyes widening, when Ace looks at him. Maybe, he said it too loud? No way, he was merely whispering it.

“Did you say something?”

“Nope, not at all, I didn’t say anything at all,” Marco denies vehemently trying to collect himself. He is fine, he is totally fine. 

Ace scowls at the laughing Sabo before escaping from the room. 

“If you want Marco can count your freckles,” Sabo shouts after him. “I’m sure he wouldn’t miss any.”

Total mortification _again_. Marco buries his head in his hands, maybe if he doesn’t see them, they won’t see him anymore and he can avoid all the embarrassment.  

“Shut up, Sabo,” Ace yells back over his shoulder. “You could have said I wasn’t wearing any clothes.”

Sabo chuckles in answer as he sits down next to Marco. He leans back on the couch, grinning. 

“There, there,” Sabo comforts him, patting his arm awkwardly. “You don't have anything to be embarrassed.”

“You’re a menace,”  Marco mumbles, before he realises what he'd said. Shit, maybe it's not the smartest idea to insult Ace’s roommate. 

Oh, yes, it's pretty far away from a good idea.

“We have only met a few times, but you already know me well.”

Marco wants to wipe of Sabo’s grin, but he thinks Ace wouldn't be happy with him if he'd hit Sabo so he dismisses the option. 

Marco lifts up his head, his face red even now. He rubs his hands over his cheeks, hopes that it will help to make him seem less flustered, but he doubts, it works like that. 

“Sorry, I promise, I won't say anything inappropriate today,” Sabo apologies, smiling ruefully. 

“Only today?” Marco groans. “Please, tell me you're joking I don't think I could bare more of this.”

Sabo laughs at him, the asshole. 

“You could always kiss him, he can't talk if his mouth is preoccupied,” Ace jokes, sitting down beside Marco, giving him a grin. 

Marco blinks, opens his mouth to decline the offer but his brain stops circulating and only leaves him with the familiar embarrassment. 

Is this going to be like this? Is he going to die because of the teasing remarks? 

“Sorry, you have to obtain friendship level four to kiss me,” Sabo mourned dramatically, slowly shaking his head. 

Ace turns towards Sabo, his hand resting on Marco’s tight as he bats her eyelashes at Sabo. Marco tries to ignore the warm hand on him, his mind supplying with useless ideas. Like Ace holding his hand, Ace smiling at him, Ace laughing so long and freely without a sign of stopping. Geez, sometimes his brain needs to be stopped like right now. 

“I’m level four, right?” Ace asks hopefully. 

Sabo puts his hand on Ace’s cheeks, smiling innocently before leaning towards Ace, as if he’s going to kiss him. 

“You’re barely level one.”

Marco coughs to mask his laughing, but seeing Sabo’s amused look he shoot him, he isn’t doing a very good job.

“What?!” Ace sputters, his hands flailing before indignation takes place. “Oh, come on, I’m at least level two, you shit.”

Marco bites his lips, stopping his widening grin. There is something heartwarming hearing them bantering as Sabo maintain a serious look. Geez, they’re cute. 

Marco stops himself right there. Fuck. He didn’t really think they’re cute, right? 

Right. Denial. He didn’t think that, he wasn't thinking about their smiles. 

Nope. 

No.

* * *

 

Definitely not.  Marco knocks on Ace’s door and when he doesn't get an answer, he looks at his phone.  There isn't any new messages from him. Before he can knock again, the door opens but it's Sabo who stands there with a surprised look on his face. 

“Marco, hey, come in, what brings you here?” Sabo asks, returning to the couch. He has books all around him, on the floor and on the table too. 

“Ace agreed to watch a movie,” Marco says, putting down the takeaway food in the kitchen. He lifts up the books from the couch and puts him on his lap, so he won't disturb Sabo’s working place. 

Sabo shoots him a grin, patting his arm gratefully. 

“Ace didn't say, you'll be here,” Sabo says quietly, typing on his laptop. “He’d worked two shifts in the past twenty-four hours. I think he'd slept through his alarm.” 

Sabo shakes his head, and Marco thinks he's more displeased than he shows. 

“I should go then, I don't want to bother you while you're studying, “ Marco murmurs, but Sabo’s hand on his arm stops him from standing up. 

“I’m done for today,” Sabo admits with a half smile. “I was working on an assignment, I need to do for the next month.”

“Does it mean I can put down your books from my lap, yoi?” 

When Sabo answers with laughing, Marco’s shoulders lose their tenseness. There is something strangely calming about Sabo, the way he smiles with ease, making him feel welcome even when Marco haven't visited Ace and Sabo’s apartment before with Ace not being here. He's a master at making conversation and while Marco doesn't mind silence, talking with Sabo is similar to the conversations with his own family; the teasing, the smartass remarks and being a good listener. 

Marco doesn't really know why Sabo is never against when Marco accompanies Ace and him. While he'd feared that, Sabo will have enough of him and hate him for imposing on their time, but he was nothing else but welcoming. Marco doesn't know why Sabo tolerates him but he appreciates it.

In the last months, Sabo has been growing on him, just like Ace did in the first months of their meeting. 

“Sorry,” Sabo apologies, his lips quirk up in a smile. He puts his book in one pile. “You've to settle for me.”

“That’s a good deal for me,” Marco answers slowly as if he’s considering his offer. “I accept.”

Sabo shakes his head with a grin on his face, his eyes dancing with amusement. Marco stops himself from blurting out any of his thoughts, beginning from ‘your smile is pretty’, ending it with ‘please, smile more when I’m close because my day gets better’.

Just because Marco finds Sabo’s smile pretty, Marco shouldn't let it influence his decision-making ability. 

_Sabo can smile as much as he wants_ , Marco thinks, _he can even hold my hand._

_Oh fuck_ , no. This is a bad. 

“Ace will love you forever for bringing food,” Sabo mentions it, jolting out of his panicked thoughts. “Tell me the price and we’ll give you back the money.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Marco waves him off because it’s nothing. 

Sabo doesn’t think so.  

“Yeah, no,” Sabo shoots him down. “You can’t pay for our food.”

“It’s only takeaway food, yoi,” Marco replies. It’s like with Ace all over again. “And it’s nice to bring something to the home when you’re a guest.” 

Sabo narrows his eyes but Marco is hardly intimidated. 

“You just made it up.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Thanks, yoi. You’re not that bad yourself.”

Sabo groans but his lips quirk up in a smile. 

“Shut up,” he says affectionately. 

Marco's chest swells with satisfaction. Making Sabo smile at him like Marco is the best thing that can happen to him? Done. 

Marco looks down to his hand when the touch of Sabo’s fingers register to his brain. It's a faint pressure on his palm as Sabo draws patterns with the tip of his finger. 

Marco curses himself as his cheeks flares with red. He tries to will it away but of course, it isn't working. 

Sabo hasn't known him long enough but he's playing with his hand, like it's the most normal thing to do. 

The close contact with Sabo ceases when Sabo notices what he’s doing with Marco’s hand. He grins regretfully, lifting off his hand. 

Marco doesn't know if it's the light, or just his eyes are playing a trick on him, but Sabo’s cheeks seem dusted with red. 

“Sorry, I got carried away,” Sabo replies with a nervous laugh. “I didn't even ask if I can touch you, fuck, sorry for my insensitive ass.”

Marco doesn’t remember, if anyone ever has apologised for touching him without permission but it warms his heart, knowing Sabo cares about him enough to think about Marco’s boundaries. 

He doesn’t mind Sabo’s gentle and playful touches on his hand. Fuck, he even likes it? _Oh no._ That’s not good, that’s not good at all. He can’t let himself to like both Ace and Sabo, right? He’s a terrible mess, when Ace is close or they accidentally touch and he can’t stop his stupid face from turning red. 

But it’s Sabo, and he doesn’t want to say no, when he enjoys these fleeting, calm moments between them.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” Marco says, looking in Sabo’s eyes. Sabo grins with ease, squeezing his hand in thanks. Marco should let go of Sabo’s hand but he relishes the moment, his heart hammering in his chest as Sabo starts to play with his fingers again. 

He’s so doomed. _So, so doomed._

That's the moment, when Ace appears behind Sabo, putting his hands on his neck. Sabo yelps and lets go of Marco’s hand.

Marco misses it immediately. Fuck, he's being pathetic. 

“Ace, you asshole!” 

Ace laughs, ruffling Sabo’s hair. Marco looks up to Ace and he averts his eyes as soon his eyes lands on him. His hair’s tousled, obviously he has just woken up. Marco doesn’t want to know why he finds Ace cute with his bed hair. He shouldn’t even think about Ace when he’s standing two steps away from him, Marco just hopes his sappy thoughts don't show on his face. 

“Oh, shit,” Ace says, suddenly, looks at Marco like he only noticed, he’s there. “I slept through our movie night, oh shit, I’m so sorry.”

“Sabo kept me company,” Marco says, lips forming a smile. “I heard you were working long hours, don't worry about it. We can watch movies, when you aren't exhausted.”

Ace looks uncertain for a brief moment, but sits down beside them, after he stops messing with Sabo’s hair. Marco notices his sudden insecurity, but doesn’t call attention to it but making Ace feel bad about his sleeping isn’t on his priority list. 

Ace’s shoulder touches his, brushing briefly against each other as Ace tries to hold the distance between them. Marco’s heart aches, thinking what he had done wrong, why Ace looks like he hadn’t slept at all, purples circles around his eyes, his movements filled with deep tiredness. 

“Ace, if you're tired, just go back to sleep,” Sabo says. “Marco will be back when he's free.”

Ace’s shoulders slump forward. 

“I can't fall back to sleep,” Ace murmurs as he brushes out the knots in his hair with his fingers. Marco must have look worried because the corner of Ace’s lips quirk up, his voice’s warm. “I’ve slept for a few hours, I'm fine.”

Sabo gives Ace a look with all of his doubt, clearly not believing him. Marco agrees silently but seeing Ace tense, he doesn't ask questions. 

Ace leans back with sigh, closing his eyes. Marco watches him, absently counting Ace’s freckles on his nose before he looks away, his heart beating faster than usual. He groans at himself for stupidly getting lost in his thoughts because of Ace. Because of Ace’s freckles.

Fuck. 

He averts his gaze from Ace. If he continues to stare, there is a bigger chance Ace will notice the eyes on him. Marco never will be ready for Ace catching him, when Marco is slower, too lost in Ace’s freckles, and too weak to tear away his gaze from him. 

Marco doesn't think he'd survive the embarrassment. 

He steals a glance at Ace and he relaxes. Ace lost all his edge from before and he's quietly sleeping beside Marco, arms crossed in front of his chest, head resting against the couch, his legs spread on the ground. 

Marco starts to stand up to get a blanket for Ace when he sees him shaking, but Ace snuggles up closer to him, grabbing his shirt with a fist. 

Marco swallows, shoots a _‘help me, please!’_ look at Sabo. 

“I'm gonna get a blanket for you two,” Sabo grins at him, at them. 

“Sabo, please,” Marco hisses at Sabo’s back. He heads straight to his room without looking back at Marco. The only reason Marco isn't yelling is the sleeping Ace, resting his head on Marco’s arm. 

Ace's only snuggling with him because he's cold and Marco is sitting the closest to him. Marco swallows, frozen in his place, as Ace moves around him, making himself comfortable. Ace buries his head in Marco’s chest. 

His first thought is _‘that's adorable.’_

His second is _‘oh, no, he's really adorable.’_

Sabo cuts his internal struggle as he lays a blanket over them. Ace moves closer to Marco with a sigh. 

Sabo grins at him. 

“You won't get cold with a blanket,” Sabo answers the unasked question. “You can have the whole couch for two of you alone.”

The tip of the Marco’s ear burns at the thought. Marco thinks he’s kind of bad at this hiding his feelings thing. 

But Ace warms his side, and Marco can't help but ease into the couch, his free hand unconsciously lifts up to sweep Ace’s hair away from his forehead, but he stops himself in the last moment. 

His touch isn't needed, it would be selfish to enjoy the brief contact to satisfy his own mind. 

Sabo turns to leave but Marco doesn't want him to. 

“Are you going somewhere?” Marco asks quickly, hoping to stall Sabo, maybe somehow, he can talk him into sitting with them. 

“What?” 

Marco has to smother a smile at Sabo’s confused face. 

“It's a big blanket,” Marco explains. 

“Are you saying you want to sleep with me?” Sabo asks, waggling his eyebrows comically. 

“You're incorrigible, yoi,” Marco says with fond exasperation. 

Sabo huffs a laugh as he sits down next to Marco. 

Marco lifts up the blanket and Sabo snuggles as close as he can, so the blanket covers all of him. 

Marco doesn't even understand why his heart is beating faster when it's only Sabo. Sabo who makes him laugh, Sabo who sometimes teases him but in general has a big heart and always has a few kind words. 

Oh. If he's going to flail, might do it for both of them. They’re going to be the death of him, he just knows. 

“So what?” Sabo asks. “Are you going to-”

“Please, don't say it,” Marco begs. Sabo hides his face in Marco’s shoulder, his body shakes and Marco rolls his eyes. “Oh, laugh it up, don't hold back yourself.”

When Sabo looks up at Marco again, Marco is floored by the smile he sees. Marco’s melting inside, his heart swelling with adoration as he's memorising every aspect of Sabo; his ruffled hair, his eyes filled with amusement, his smile radiating with happiness. 

Marco breaths deeply, his mind screaming at him to stay quiet and don't say anything stupid. 

“I'm glad you're here,” Sabo says, closing his eyes, not looking at Marco’s reaction. Marco’s grateful, he doesn't think he's ready for Sabo seeing his face when he's surprised. “You're a really good friend. Ace and I are lucky to have met you.”

The sudden confession stuns Marco, tongue tied as he thinks of an answer. 

“You aren't alone with this feeling,” Marco says with a dry throat, his eyes wandering away from Sabo. “Both of you helped me a lot. Even if you don't think so, you're both amazing. You're always there for your brother even when you had a long day,” Marco takes a breath, under the blanket Marco’s hand finds Sabo’s and he squeezes it faintly. Sabo tangles their fingers together, his thumb stroking Marco’s hand. 

Marco gives a shaky sigh. God. 

They're going to be the death of him. Marco hasn't planned to give a speech how much they mean to him, but it happened. Relief fills him that at least Ace is asleep, missing out on Marco’s rambling about them. 

Sabo doesn't answer for a long time, but he continues with his thumb making small circles on Marco’s skin. 

“Thanks,” Sabo finally murmurs, burying his face in the blanket. Their eyes meet but Sabo looks away, trying to make himself smaller. 

Marco’s need to sooth Sabo’s embarrassment rockets high but he holds himself back. Brushing Sabo’s hair from his forehead would be stepping over all the boundaries, right? 

“Is it okay?” Sabo asks suddenly. Marco’s thoughts scatter away, confusion taking place, not understanding what's going on. Sabo wets his lips, before explaining. “Holding your hand. Is it okay?”

“I'd tell you if it wasn't,” Marco replies, his smile widens when Sabo leans onto his side. 

“You're the best.”

Marco lets out a laugh. 

“I don't think Ace would agree, yoi.”

Sabo hums, but a grin appears on his face. Marco gives him a questioning look but it doesn't get an answer from Sabo. 

“Please, you're both adorable while flirting but sleep,” Ace pipes up, with groggy voice.

Marco’s cheeks flare red, feeling caught. 

“You're just jealous because you missed out.”

Ace pokes him under the blanket, reaching to the other side. 

“Shut up and go to sleep.”

Sabo laughs but gets comfortable, leaning to Marco’s side. 

They stay like that, quiet and peaceful as Sabo plays with his hand, Ace warms his other side, snuggling closer. 

Marco has never wished more for a moment to last longer. 

**Author's Note:**

> please tell me what you've thought!!! im glad with every words, you don't have to write a novel to make me happy.


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